Endless track attachment for self-propelled vehicle

ABSTRACT

An endless track attachment for self-propelled vehicles in which the driving sprocket is carried by the track frame through a spherical bearing and is connectable to a hub on a driving axle. An adjustable support means is provided to engage the sprocket and prevent it pivoting about the spherical bearing when removed from the hub. With the sprocket held up by the support means, the attachment can be mounted on an dismounted from a vehicle as a unitary structure.

l 13,5s3,s09

Inventor Winiried Stachnik Zweibrucken, Germany Appl. No. 826,400

Filed May 21, 1969 Patented June 8,1971

Assignee Deere & Company Moline, [11.

Priority Aug. 2, 1968 Germany P 17 80 113.7

ENDLESS TRACK ATTACHMENT FOR SELF- [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,388,750 8/1921 Palmer 180/9.5X 1,830,911 11/1931 Moore.....l80/9.62X 2,588,333 3/1952 Wilson 180/9.62X

FOREIGN PATENTS 969,859 7/1958 Germany 180/962 Primary Examiner-Richard.1. Johnson Attorneys-H. Vincent Harsha, Raymond L. Hollister, Harold M.Knoth, William A. Murray and John M. Nolan ABSTRACT: An endless trackattachment for self-propelled E EI vehicles in which the drivingsprocket is carried by the track aims frame through a spherical bearingand is connectable to a hub US. Cl 180/95, on a driving axle. Anadjustable support means is provided to ISO/9.62 engage the sprocket andprevent it pivoting about the spherilnt.C1 862d 55/12 cal hearing whenremoved from the hub. With the sprocket Field of Search 305/57; held upby the support means, the attachment can be mounted ISO/9.62, 9.5, 9.2CD on an dismounted from a vehicle as a unitary structure.

52 t so so PATENIED JUN 8 I97! SHEET 1 [)F 2 INVENTOR. WINFRIED STACHNIKATENTEU JUH 8 1971 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. WINFRIED STACHNIK FIG.3

ENDLESS TRACK ATTACHMENT FOR SELF- PROPELLED VEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to endless trackattachments for self-propelled vehicles, and more particularly relatesto such attachments that can be mounted on and dismounted from a vehiclewithout dismantling the attachment into its various components.

With many self-propelled vehicles, for example, rice combines, it isdesirable to be able to switch from the conventional rubber tires toendless track drives in order to operate efficiently under allconditions. To this end, many endless track attachments have beenproposed, but none have been entirely satisfactory. In some proposals,the drive sprocket is removably secured to a hub on the driving axle andis carried by the track frame through a spherical bearing so that asmall amount of self-leveling of the track frame is possible withoutimposing large forces on the axle. Such systems performed very well, butconversion between rubber tires and endless tracks was very cumbersomeand time consuming since the track attachment had to be disassembledinto its various components by removing the track, then the track frame,and finally the sprocket. In other proposals, the drive sprocket wasrigid with the hub and the track frame. These systems were easy toconvert, but when traveling over uneven terrain, they were rigid withthe axle and subjected the axle to damaging forces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principle object of the present inventionis to provide and endless track attachment for self-propelled vehiclesin which the drive sprocket is freed to move relative to the track frameand which can be mounted on and dismounted from the vehicle axle withoutremoval of the track and sprocket from the frame.

According to the present invention, the drive sprocket for an endlesstrack attachment is connected directly to the track frame through aspherical bearing which affords both rotational and pivotal movement ofthe sprocket relative to the frame. A support is carried by the trackframe for engagement with the sprocket and prevents the sprocket frompivoting downwardly about the spherical bearing when disconnected fromthe axle hub. The track attachment can thus be mounted on or removedfrom the vehicle without being disassembled.

According to another feature of the invention, the support is adjustablycarried by the frame so that it can be moved between a first position inwhich it engages and supports the sprocket and a second position inwhich it is removed from and does not interfere with the operation ofthe sprocket.

In one embodiment of the invention, the support takes the form of asemispherical bearing positioned under an annular shoulder provided onthe drive sprocket while in another embodiment of the invention, thesupport takes the form of a pair of rollers positioned under theshoulder on the drive sprocket.

Accordingly, additional objects of the invention are to provide anendless track attachment for self-propelled vehicles in which the drivesprocket is connected directly to the track frame for universal pivotalmovement, and to provide an adjustable support for the drive sprocketwhen it is disconnected form the hub of the vehicle.

The above objects and additional objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent along with the details of construction of preferredembodiments of the invention from a reading of the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an endless track attachment mounted on avehicle axle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the attachmentillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a second embodiment ofthe invention; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIG.3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,an endless track attachment indicated generally at 10 is illustrated asbeing mounted on the outer end of an axle indicated generally at 12. Theaxle l2 includes an axle housing 14 which is secured to the vehicle by abracket 16. The axle housing 14 is provided with a flange 18 at itsouter end which is detachably connected to a gearbox or final drivehousing 20 by bolts 22. An axle drive shaft is journaled within the axlehousing 14 and drives a tapered output shaft 24 through the final drive20. A hub 26 is wedged onto the output shaft 24 and is retained thereonby nut 28. Since the endless track attachment according to the presentinvention is usable on axle without a final drive, it should beunderstood that the final drive housing 20 merely constitutes anextension of an forms part of the axle housing and the output shaft 24merely constitutes and extension of and forms part of the axle driveshaft.

The sprocket wheel 30 of the endless track attachment is secured to thehub 26 by means of bolts 32. The sprocket wheel 30 is made from twopieces with the outer sprocket portion being secured to the inner wheelportion by bolts 34 so that the outer sprocket portion can be replacedwhen it becomes worn. Also, by making the drive sprocket 30 of twopieces the outer sprocket portion can be of a size to leave a smallportion of the outer periphery of the inner wheel portion exposed toprovide an annular shoulder 36 for a purpose which will become apparenthereinafter. The sprocket wheel 30 has a cylindrical housing 38extending from one side thereof which surrounds the outer end of theoutput shaft 24 and acts as a dust cap. At its outer end, thecylindrical housing 38 carries a stub shaft 40 which is rotatablymounted in a bearing 42 carried by a bearing bracket 44. The outer raceof the bearing 42 has a generally spherical outer surface and the socketwithin the bearing bracket 44 has a corresponding surface so that thebearing 42 has universal movement within the bracket 44.

An additional bearing bracket 46 is arranged on the axle housing 14 anddepends downwardly therefrom. A pair of frame bracket 48 and 50 aredetachably connected to the bearing brackets 44 and 46 respectively bybolts 52 and 54 respectively. The frame bracket 48 extends downwardlyand has its lower ends secured to a U-girder 52 which forms part of atrack frame. The frame bracket 50 extends downwardly and outwardly andhas its lower ends secured to a U-girder 54 which forms part of thetrack frame. The U-girders 52 and 54 are connected on their upper sidesby a plate 56 which lends stability to the track frame. A plurality ofidler rollers 58 are rotatably journaled within bearing lugs 60 carriedby the U- girders 52 and 54. A pair of end rollers 59 are also mountedon the girders 52 and 54 by bearing blocks 61. The idler rollers 58, androllers 59 and sprocket wheel 30 serve to receive and endless track 62carrying grouser plates 64.

In order to maintain the sprocket wheel 30 in its proper position whenremoved from the hub 26, an additional sprocket wheel support isprovided in the form of a bearing shell 66 which is supported by rightangle brackets 68. The brackets 68 are secured to the frame bracket 48by bolts 70 which extend through suitable openings provided in thebrackets 68 and through elongated vertical slots 72 provided in theframe bracket 48. The bearing shell 66 is secured to the horizontal legsof the brackets 68 by bolts 74 which extend through suitable openingsprovided in the bearing shell and through elongated slots 76 provided inthe horizontal legs of the brackets 68. The slots 76 permit the bearingshell 66 to be moved horizontally toward and away from the sprocketwheel while the slots 72 permit vertical adjustment of the bearing shell66to bring it into engagement with the shoulder. 36 provided on thesprocket wheel.

In order to remove the endless track attachment from the axle 12 whenconverting to the conventional wheels, it is only necessary to adjustthe bearing shell 66 to bring it into engagement with the shoulder 36,remove the bolts 54 securing the frame bracket 50 to the bearing bracket46 and to remove the bolts 32 securing the sprocket wheel 30 to the hub26. The entire endless track attachment can then be withdrawn laterally,the sprocket wheel 30 being supported in its proper position by thebearing shell 66. The conventional wheel can then be secured to the hub26. The endless track attachment can also be remounted on the axle 12 asa single unit as opposed to the prior endless track attachments whichhad to be broken down into the components by removing the track andsprocket. It can thus be seen that the endless track attachmentaccording to the present invention results in a considerably savings intime and effort when converting to and from an endless track drive.

A second embodiment of the invention in which the bearing shell isreplaced by roller supports is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a vertical support 78 is mounted on theplate 56 and carries a pair of rollers 80. The rollers 80 are mounted onthe support 78 by bolts which extend through horizontal slots 82 so thatthey can be moved toward and away from the shoulder 36 of the sprocketwheel 30. When the rollers 80 are moved into engagement with theshoulder 36, they will support the sprocket wheel 30 in the same manneras the previously described shell bearing 66 so that the endless trackattachment can be attached or removed as a single unit.

While only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the an that variousmodifications can be made without departing from the underlyingprinciples of the invention.

lclaim:

1. An endless track attachment for a vehicle having a drive axle mountedwithin a housing and projecting from the end thereof, a hub mounted onthe projecting end of the axle, and a mounting bracket carried by thehousing, the attachment comprising: a drive sprocket removably securedto the hub and having a stub axle projecting from one side thereofsubstantially coaxially with the drive axle; a bearing having aspherical outer race positioned over the stub axle; a bearing bracketpositioned over the bearing; an elongated frame carrying a plurality ofidler rollers positioned beneath the drive sprocket; a pair of framebrackets secured to the frame; one of the frame brackets being removablyconnected to the mounting bracket and the other being secured to thebearing bracket; a flexible endless track trained over the sprocket androllers; and means carried by one of the frame brackets and frame tomaintain the sprocket in position when removed from the hub.

2. The attachment set forth in claim 1 wherein the last-mentioned meansis vertically and horizontally adjustable.

3. The attachment set forth in claim 2 wherein the means to maintain thesprocket in position when removed from the hub includes a semisphericalbearing shell mounted on the other frame bracket.

4. The attachment set forth in claim 1 wherein the last-mentioned meansincludes a pair of rollers carried by the frame and adapted to engage anannular shoulder on he the drive sprocket.

S. The attachment set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive sprocket isprovided with an annular shoulder and the lastmentioned means engagesthe shoulder to support the drive sprocket when removed from the hub.

6. The attachment set forth in claim 5 wherein the means to maintain thedrive sprocket in position includes a semicylindrical bearing shellcarried by the other frame bracket.

7. The attachment set forth in claim 6 wherein the bearing shell iscarried by the other frame bracket for horizontal movement toward andaway from the drive sprocket and for vertical adjustment into engagementwith the shoulder.

8. The attachment set forth in claim 5 wherein the means to maintain thedrive sprocket in position includes a pair of horizontally spacedrollers came by the frame and adapted

1. An endless track attachment for a vehicle having a drive axle mountedwithin a housing and projecting from the end thereof, a hub mounted onthe projecting end of the axle, and a mounting bracket carried by thehousing, the attachment comprising: a drive sprocket removably securedto the hub and having a stub axle projecting from one side thereofsubstantially coaxially with the drive axle; a bearing having aspherical outer race positioned over the stub axle; a bearing bracketpositioned over the bearing; an elongated frame carrying a plurality ofidler rollers positioned beneath the drive sprocket; a pair of framebrackets secured to the frame; one of the frame brackets being removablyconnected to the mounting bracket and the other being secured to thebearing bracket; a flexible endless track trained over the sprocket androllers; and means carried by one of the frame brackets and frame tomaintain the sprocket in position when removed from the hub.
 2. Theattachment set forth in claim 1 wherein the last-mentioned means isvertically and horizontally adjustAble.
 3. The attachment set forth inclaim 2 wherein the means to maintain the sprocket in position whenremoved from the hub includes a semispherical bearing shell mounted onthe other frame bracket.
 4. The attachment set forth in claim 1 whereinthe last-mentioned means includes a pair of rollers carried by the frameand adapted to engage an annular shoulder on he the drive sprocket. 5.The attachment set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive sprocket isprovided with an annular shoulder and the last-mentioned means engagesthe shoulder to support the drive sprocket when removed from the hub. 6.The attachment set forth in claim 5 wherein the means to maintain thedrive sprocket in position includes a semicylindrical bearing shellcarried by the other frame bracket.
 7. The attachment set forth in claim6 wherein the bearing shell is carried by the other frame bracket forhorizontal movement toward and away from the drive sprocket and forvertical adjustment into engagement with the shoulder.
 8. The attachmentset forth in claim 5 wherein the means to maintain the drive sprocket inposition includes a pair of horizontally spaced rollers carried by theframe and adapted to engage the annular shoulder on opposite sides ofits bottom center.
 9. The attachment set forth in claim 8 wherein therollers are mounted on the frame for horizontal movement.